By Adrianna Aguilar - Dance

H.D. describes her vision of the poem as a product of both music and movement with the
words of her work. In her vision of the poem, she sees it as a total art form that extends past the
bounds of words; this supports the identity of the poem as a lyrical imagist poem. Just as the
movements of Graham’s Jocasta are the methods of presentation for the emotions of that
particular female protagonist, the words and the imagined elements of a production are the
methods of presentation for Helen’s emotions. 62 H.D.'s identification with the character Helen
makes the descriptions of her actions and internal state more realistic. It is these thoughts that are
the center and the focus of the work:
“I will encompass the infinite
in time, in the crystal,
in my thought here.” 63
Since H.D. is a reflection of Helen herself, the words and the emotional journey established in
the work are a journey through H.D.’s psyche. The new lyrical form becomes an
autobiographical form of poetry as well that completely entrances the reader with its musical
language and nuanced imagery.
Eileen Or distinctly observes this matching quality in Graham’s choreography. It is effective
in establishing a state of high drama, “Graham’s movement language is unabashedly emotional
and contrasts with the objective of the intellectual language of the original play.” 64 The dancing
of Jocasta and Oedipus ends in a tableau, creating an image that remains in the minds of its
observers furthering the storytelling effect of the performance. The work comes back full circle
from Jocasta’s beginning contemplation to the end of couple’s love duet where: “Jocasta and
Oedipus are entangled in the same rope that served Jocasta to commit suicide in the opening
scene, a rope that symbolizes the love connecting woman to man as well as the umbilical cord
62 Robinson, 365.
63 D.H., 209.
64 Or, 3.
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